Puppy Kindergarten
What a puppy learns - an adult dog remembers. That is the
premise on which our Puppy Kindergarten is based. Training
the young pup should begin as soon as he enters his new home and
continue throughout his life. As important as learning basic
commands is the opportunity at puppy school to socialize the young
dog. Our Puppy Kindergarten provides a forum for dogs to interact
on and off lead.

Movin'
On Up! (for our Puppy K grads)
The Movin' On Up class (previously named Advanced Puppy) has been
developed especially for puppies having completed our Puppy Kindergarten
class. These graduates are about six or seven months old now and
"movin' on" into an adolescent stage of growth. We call this the
"teen" years for dogs.
These pups are now a little older, more independent, and, if all
of us did our jobs well, more confident. With these new attributes
we see a seven-month-old being perhaps less responsive to our desires
(as in sit, down, etc.). We know that many shelters and rescue groups
are filled with "adolescent" dogs simply because families don't
know how to deal with them during this stage of their lives. Our
feeling is that keeping that young dog in a class will help work
through issues that were not there during Puppy K that may be emerging
as the pup moves on up into a new growth period.
In Movin' On Up we have a greater expectation that the dogs perform
promptly. We continue to work on foundation commands such as sit
and stay, down and stay, come, and walking under control all the
while having fun training our dogs.

Basic
Training, Manners
This class is designed for dogs over six months who have not had
a basic obedience course and for dogs who would benefit by repeating.
Training techniques are presented to owners who want their dogs
to learn to sit, lie down, stay, come, keep all fours on the floor,
and walk with a slack leash.
These techniques are for owners to use in everyday life to help
their pet become and remain a well mannered member of the family.
We believe it is never too late to teach an old dog new tricks!

Intermediate
Level Obedience Prerequisite: a basic class or P.K.
This class was designed for any dog that has completed a Basic or
Puppy Kindergarten class, to strengthen the relationship between
dog and person, and take the dog’s manners and obedience to the
next level. This is also a great class for those wanting to prepare
for the AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test or Therapy Dog certification
tests, or for a solid foundation for canine sports.
There
is no fixed curriculum for this class – the instructor will select
exercises and activities that work best for each specific group
of dogs. It is designed as a “repeatable” class, and can be taken
multiple times while still providing interesting learning opportunities
for the dog and handler. The group class setting will also provide
an environment to continue your dog’s socialization.
Class
activities may cover any of the following: strengthening
loose leash walking, stay, and coming when called; heeling; wait
at doorways/gates/car door; leave-it; getting and keeping your dog’s
attention; greeting dogs and people; introduction to clicker training;
working outdoors; practicing obedience through trying canine sports
(Rally-O, Agility, Freestyle); fun relationship-building games;
and teaching your dog self-control.
Class
will cover: orientation and practice on each test
item on the CGC/TDI tests; exercises that promote a healthy working
relationship with your dog so that you can better enjoy your lives
together.

Look
Ma, No Hands! Prerequisite - a basic
class or P.K.
This class focuses on the obedience skills needed to safely allow
the dog the freedom to be off leash. Great emphasis is placed
on the "recall" or ensuring the dog comes reliably when
called. For the dog's safety, the owners' verbal control of
the dog is a must, and this class revisits and strengthens the basic
obedience skills taught in the Basic or Puppy classes.

Helping the Reactive Dog
Does your dog overly react to people, dogs, or other stimlus? This
class could be for you.
The
Reactive Dog Class is designed for dogs who have issues with other
dogs and/or people. The goal of the Reactive Dog Class is for the
owner and dog to be able to simply walk down the street or attend
a class in the presence of other dogs and people without the dog
reacting in a way that makes the owner feel uncomfortable.
Reactive Dog Class is a clicker-based curriculum developed by Emma
Parsons, the author of Click to Calm: Healing the Aggressive
Dog. Fieldwood instructors Lisa Basial and Ann Withun
will instruct this class jointly, having learned these techniques
from Emma Parsons directly.
Due to the specialized nature of this class requiring small class
size and individualized instruction, the fee for this class is $150.
This class will be limited to 4-6 dogs and the session will last
6 week class. Week 1 is an special 1 ½ to 2 hour orientation
for the owners (without dogs) and the remaining classes are an hour
and fifteen minutes.
There is no prerequisite for this class, and there are no behaviors
or history that would disqualify a dog from attending this class.
Intro
to Clicker Training Prerequisite -
a basic class or P.K.
The clicker is a training tool that gives us a new and unique way
to communicate with our dogs. Most dogs enjoy clicker training because
it gives them the opportunity to use their own creativity and problem-solving
ability to learn the behaviors that you are teaching.
Whatever your training goals may be - more solid basic manners,
agility, obedience, fun tricks, or to improve your working relationship
with your dog - clicker training can be an excellent way to help
you and your dog reach them.

Intro to IMPROV Prerequisite - a
basic class or P.K.
IMPROV (Impromptu Multifarious Performance Requiring Obedience
and Versatility) is a fun game where you and your dog team up
to accomplish different challenges. Your dog could be asked to go
over, under, around, or through something; to do something with an
object or get to a certain place; or just about anything – the idea
is that you just never know what’s in store for you (but you can depend
on having a great time.) In IMPROV you and your dog will use ingenuity
and teamwork and “cheating” is legal - we call it Lateral Thinking
- and it’s encouraged!
Each week in class we’ll set up challenges selected from the six exercises
included in IMPROV and you and your dog will get to see what you can
do! We’ll also work on building some useful and versatile skills in
your dog that come in handy in IMPROV and in everyday life such as:
being able to do what you ask even a small distance away from you,
and without treats; fetching all kinds things for you; being confident
coming into contact with strange surfaces, objects, and noises; performing
the skills they know in new and distracting situations; and you’ll
get to practice communicating with and motivating your dog. You’ll
be surprised at what your dog can do!
IMPROV is a fun game and also a new competition sport. This class
will prepare you to enter our IMPROV trial this summer if you’d like
to give it a try. IMPROV is fun for dogs with all levels of training.
The whole idea of IMPROV is for the handler to bring out the very
best in their individual dog. You can find the official IMPROV Rulebook
on the Dog Scouts of America website www.dogscouts.org
in the Competition & Titling section. Students of this class will
receive a printed copy.

Creative Dog - a fun way to use the clicker! Prerequisite
- a basic class or P.K.
Creative Dog class is for students who want to learn more with their
dog and have fun along the way. We'll use the clicker to teach a
selection of useful skills as well as cool tricks. With the clicker
you'll unleash your dog's natural talents, encouraging your dog
to be creative in figuring out what you want him to do.
Teach the fun stuff! Learn some tricks like Spin,
Twirl (spin in the other direction), Shake paw, Back up, Sit up/beg,
Jump through a hoop. As a fun demonstration of the skills you'll
both learn, your dog will learn to Play a Musical Instrument!
Teach the useful stuff! Go to Your Place /
Go to the Agility Table (your choice), Targeting (dog will follow
a target stick and/or go to and touch a target object on cue), Tolerating
nail clipping (or other item/process of your choice), Advanced Leave-it
(dog will walk by food, toys, or other coveted items on the floor
on a loose leash or dragging his leash).
Prerequisites: Dog and handler have completed at least one
class together. This class is appropriate for handlers who have
never used a clicker before but would like to learn, as well as
handlers with some previous clicker experience.
Agility Prerequisite
- a basic class or P.K.
Dog agility is a fascinating sport and a great way for pet owners
and their dogs to develop a closer, positive relationship.
While training agility, basic obedience control commands such as
stay, sit, down and come are reinforced in a setting that is a great
deal of fun for the dog and owners. Agility also gives the
dog a healthy outlet for excess energy.

Canine
Freestyle Prerequisite - a basic class
or P.K.
We are now dancing with our dogs! Canine Freestyle (dancing
with your dog) has been introduced in the training arena and is
exciting and rewarding. The idea was inspired from equine
dressage (where horse and rider move in unison) and figure skating.
The sport came to the United States in the 90s and is still relatively
new in many parts of the country.
The objective of Freestyle is to present the dog to his best advantage
in a creative and artistic manner. The Freestyle presentation
is accompanied by music selected to suit the rhythms of the dog.
In developing a routine, teamwork is of the utmost importance with
the dog always being treated with honor and respect.
In competition, freestyle is judged like figure skating with technical
merit and artistic impression according to the divisions and levels.
But teams do not have to compete. Owners find that this is
a great way to exercise, bond, entertain and have fun with their
dogs. Anyone and any dog of any age can do freestyle.
Steppin' Woofs, the dancing dogs of Fieldwood, entertain in schools,
nursing homes and community events.

Canine Cool Prerequisite - a basic
class or P.K.
Does your dog ever drive you crazy with its behaviors? Ever wonder
the reason for some of your dog’s actions? Want to continue building
the bond between you and your dog while having some fun?
DISCOVER
YOUR DOG’S NATURAL TALENTS!!!
Our
plan is to teach you to understand your dog’s instincts and channel
them into something positive for both of you. We will help you build
a closer bond with your dog while building your dog’s confidence
(or helping to contain it!). Some of the activities we’ll use to
accomplish this are: the retrieve; working your dog’s scent skills;
agility; a fieldtrip; freestyle dance and maze recalls. We will
show you how your dog’s innate abilities can be directed in such
a way that makes for a happy dog AND a happy owner.

Rally-O Prerequisite
- a basic class or P.K.
Rally-O is a fun way to teach your dog obedience skills that will
benefit you and your dog in many situations from walking in a crowd
to running an agility course.
A Rally course is performed with your dog heeling next to you from
the start through a series of exercises at stations positioned throughout
a course of approximately 15-20 different exercises consisting of
sits, downs, spirals, and turns.
One of the most exceptional features of Rally is the ability of
the handlers to talk to their dogs, praising and encouraging them
keeping enthusiasm high throughout the rally course.

Canine
Good Citzen (CGC) Prerequisite - a
basic class or P.K.
In 1989 the American Kennel Club (AKC) developed the Canine Good
Citizen program to reward and acknowledge dogs who have good manners
at home and in the community, and owners who show responsible dog
ownership. The program addresses 10 areas where manners count and
to become an AKC Canine Good Citizen dogs are required to pass the
10-step CGC test. Passing dogs may receive a certificate from AKC
and if the dog is registered with the AKC, the title of "CGC" after
the dog's AKC registered name.
Fieldwood's CGC class is especially designed to prepare you and
your dog for success in the CGC program with exercises geared to
address each step of the test. At the end of the session you can
decide to take the CGC test given by one of Fieldwood's AKC certified
CGC evaluators. Even if you decide not to take the test your dog
will leave this class with better manners!

Private
Sessions
To jumpstart your dog's training before enrolling in a class or
to discuss problems. Call (717) 243-4451 to set up a
appointment.

Click
here for Current Schedule and Registration Form
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